Akunis to Present 'Anti Tibi' Bill

MK Ofir Akunis (Likud) to submit a bill that would prohibit MKs to give consultation to foreign entities.

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Elad Benari, 27/09/11 03:09

MK Ofir Akunis

Israel news photo: Flash 90

MK Ofir Akunis (Likud) said on Monday that he intends to submit a bill to the Knesset that would prohibit MKs to give consultation to foreign entities.

Akunis decided to submit the bill following the participation of MK Ahmed Tibi in the Palestinian Authority’s delegation to the United Nations, where it submitted its unilateral statehood bid last week.

Akunis, who has already filed a complaint about Tibi with the Knesset’s Ethics Committee, told Arutz Sheva, “Tibi announced he had been invited to lecture at Columbia University, but joined Abbas’ flight and it wasn’t just to receive a ride to New York. He had pictures on his Facebook that showed him reading PA documents. His loyalty to the PA must stop.”

Akunis said the bill he intends to submit is essentially a correction to the Basic Law of the Knesset that will forbid Knesset members to advise a foreign entity or country.

Akunis added that it would have been appropriate to take measures against Tibi in the past, since he is notorious for his statements against Israel despite being a part of its parliament. Akunis said that the fact that no measures have been taken against Tibi yet will not prevent him from acting for that to happen now.

He added that he also intends to work towards having MK Hanin Zoabi disqualified from running in the next election, due to her participation in the 2010 flotilla to Gaza with IHH terrorists. He cited an existing law which says that anyone expressing support for an armed struggle against Israel will be unable to run for the Knesset. This section of the law, said Akunis, prevents Zoabi from running.

Akunis said that he believes there will be a majority in the Knesset to pass his proposals. He spoke of the possibility that some MKs might argue against his motions by saying that Tibi and Zoabi were simply taking advantage of their democratic right and said: “If Israel does not turn into a defensive democracy it could possibly not exist at all. I am a disciple of Jabotinsky but we cannot let the Arab Knesset members sabotage democracy. Zoabi and Tibi are trying to undermine Jewish democracy. I was elected to the Knesset in order to stand against such attempts.”

He added, “I’m not telling Tibi what to think or say, but we need to distinguish between expressing opinions and proactively trying to undermine Israeli democracy. Tibi, who read Abbas’ UN speech, supported a speech of hate which spoke about an occupation that has lasted 63 years. That means their view is that the ‘occupation’ is in Haifa and Tel Aviv and not in Judea and Samaria. We need to unite in the Knesset to stop them.”